The present invention relates to an electrical connector.
Among conventional electrical connectors (connectors), some connectors have a locking structure in order to prevent coming off of the both connectors from each other, when the connectors are connected to each other.
One of the connectors having the locking structure, for example, is disclosed in a Japanese Patent Publication. The conventional connector disclosed in the Patent Publication has a protrusion for latching together with a pit formed in a mating connector, thus the locking structure is configured with the protrusion and the pit of the mating connector.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-158630
Above-mentioned conventional connector has a shield case made of metal is fitted to the mating connector at a connecting part thereof. The shield case has the protrusion at adjacent part of an upper side of the connecting part thereof for latching together with the pit formed inside of a shield case of the mating connector. The protrusion has an elastic belt-like part having a fixed-fixed beam style, and the central part of the belt-like part protrudes upward in between ditches cut on both sides of the belt-like part along direction of connecting of the connectors. Therefore, the protrusion displaces elastically during a connecting operation with the mating connector. When the connecting process is completed, the elastic displacement is released and the protrusion is latched together with the pit of the mating connector. For this reason, coming off of each connector can be prevented.
The conventional connector in the Patent Publication, when the connectors are connected, the protrusion can move in up-and-down direction of the connectors against the pit of the mating connector as much as a distance generated between the both connectors, in other words, a play. By moving of the protrusion, a connection can be unstable due to insufficient work of the locking structure of the both connectors. Furthermore, the connectors can come off with a slight external force. Accordingly, it has been necessary to improve the locking structure of the conventional connectors.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a stable connection state and reinforcing prevention of coming off of the connectors sufficiently.